Review for:Millennium1994 Roadrunner Records  Review by Jonathan RatcliffeBill and Rhys experimented with guitar use in this album. Most fans were disappointed to find that they were leaving their established pure electronic roots. Many other industrial acts that add guitars to their music end up sounding more like a metal band. This didn't happen with Front Line Assembly. The complex programming and layering that they were best known for remained, although some fans still like the 100% electronic sound better. With the album following this one, "Hard Wired", they incorporated the guitars more intelligently and sparingly. Vigilante (6:28)  After a vocal sound sample from the film "Falling Down" (with Michael Douglas), this track gets very heavy on the guitars. The entire track has a thrash-like guitar present, with a melodic synth sitting in the background. The lyrics follow along the lines of "Falling Down" as well. One of the better tracks on "Millennium". Millennium (6:10) This is one of the best tracks on the album. The guitars are heavy and constant, but so are the pulsing electronic beats. The chorus in this song is spectacular. Definitely one of their best ever. An excellent track, and very intense, but a bit slower than the remixes on the "Millennium" single. Liquid Separation (5:05) This is a good track as well. The guitars are quite heavy here too, but used a bit differently than in the previous track. The chorus is good. Not much else to say about this track except that it's more or less the same in sound and style as the previous two tracks. Search and Destroy (6:30) This track is decent, but no where near their best work. It has all of the trademarked FLA parts --- the pounding beats, the electronic synths, and distorted lyrics. Somehow, however, it just doesn't sit as well with me as the other tracks. Good chorus though. Surface Patterns (5:36) In my opinion, this is probably the best track on the album. It's very big and heavy sound, but it's somewhat slow as well. Definitely unique and creative. The electronics are used very well here. I've been told that the guitar use sounds very similar to Marilyn Manson. A very catchy chorus that you almost can't stop yourself from singing to. A single was made from this track as well, and rightfully so. Victim of a Criminal (6:32) Surprise! I wasn't expecting this. After a minute or so of looping laughter, the track begins a "rap". Hmm... Why did they do this? I don't ever listen to this one really, but if you can get past the lyrics you'll notice that the actual music is pure FLA. I'd like to here this one without the lyrics. Division of Mind (5:47) By the sound of the guitars at the beginning of this track, I wouldn't think that it was FLA material at all. It sounds more like a metal group until the beat picks up. This track is only decent. This Faith (6:12) This track doesn't quite sound like it should be on this album. There are no guitars that I can find, and it's pure electronic. It's not as dark as I expect from them, but it's still good. The background melodic synths are done excellently. Not as fast as some of the tracks on this album either. Plasma Springs (6:20) The rhythm of this track is great. The vocals is where it falls short. Somehow, they just seem way too repetitive and don't go with the beat very good. As an instrumental track it would be excellent, I feel. Too bad. Sex Offender (8:13) Excellent once it picks up after a few minutes into the track. It's mostly instrumental and full of both vocal and noise background sounds. An excellent ending to the album, and definitely worth a listen. 
 
 
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